# Trademarks in song lyrics
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trademarks-in-song-lyrics/585861
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [June 17, 2011, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trademarks-in-song-lyrics/585861 "2011-06-17T17:04:04Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)
#### Post date: [June 17, 2011, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trademarks-in-song-lyrics/585861/1 "2011-06-17T17:04:04Z")
I’ve heard that Aqua Lung America originally started proceedings against Jethro Tull for trademark infringement, but decided that the publicity might not be that bad after all. I really can’t speak to the veracity of that statement though.
Also, The Kinks “Lola” lyrics mentioned “Coca Cola” but later had to be changed to “cherry cola” due to a BBC policy against product placement.
What other songs contain trademarks, and what – if any – were the ramifications.
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### Author:  [@Rain\_Soaked](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rain_Soaked)
#### Post date: [June 17, 2011, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trademarks-in-song-lyrics/585861/2 "2011-06-17T17:08:13Z")
Paul Simon’s “Kodachrome” used that trademark and Nikon. It was not allowed to be played on BBC.
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### Author:  [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)
#### Post date: [June 17, 2011, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trademarks-in-song-lyrics/585861/3 "2011-06-17T17:58:40Z")
Think of a car make or model, and there’s probably a song about it. _Mustang Sally_, _Pink Cadillac_, _Little GTO_, _Hot Rod Lincoln_; the list goes on and on, and on some more if there’s a car mentioned in the lyrics but not the title.
I’d not heard of that particular BBC policy, and I’d be interested to know if you couldn’t play any of these car songs there.
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### Author:  [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)
#### Post date: [June 17, 2011, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trademarks-in-song-lyrics/585861/4 "2011-06-17T18:00:13Z")
The BBC prohibition against commercial plugs also led Mott the Hoople to change “stealing clothes from Marks and Sparks” to “stealing clothes from unmarked cars” in their version of “All the Young Dudes,” even though the original lyric referred only to a nickname for the Marks & Spencer chain and not the proper name.
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### Author:  [@ministryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ministryman)
#### Post date: [June 17, 2011, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trademarks-in-song-lyrics/585861/5 "2011-06-17T18:00:13Z")
Sammy Johns - Chevy Van…I don’t think GM used it in any ads, though.
Commander Cody - Hot Rod Lincoln
Prince - Little Red Corvette
David Lindley - Mercury Blues
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### Author:  [@ministryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ministryman)
#### Post date: [June 17, 2011, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trademarks-in-song-lyrics/585861/6 "2011-06-17T18:09:41Z")
Eagles - Boys of Summer
_“I can see…your brown skin shining in the sun…[forgot the next line] Wayfarers on, baby.”_
Queen - Killer Queen
_“She keeps Moet and Chandon in a pretty cabinet…” Did this get airplay in the U.K.?_
And countless rap songs mention products like Dom Perignon, Krystal, Air Jordan’s
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### Author:  [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)
#### Post date: [June 17, 2011, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trademarks-in-song-lyrics/585861/7 "2011-06-17T18:25:11Z")
The Kinks “Lola”
The original lyric was “Where you drink champagne and it tastes just like Coca Cola.” Since the BBC won’t play songs with product names in them, Ray Davis had to re-record that line to “cherry cola.”
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### Author:  [@Rain\_Soaked](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rain_Soaked)
#### Post date: [June 17, 2011, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trademarks-in-song-lyrics/585861/8 "2011-06-17T18:38:17Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#):
>
> The Kinks “Lola”
>
> The original lyric was “Where you drink champagne and it tastes just like Coca Cola.” Since the BBC won’t play songs with product names in them, Ray Davis had to re-record that line to “cherry cola.”
Might want to read the OP again…
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### Author:  [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery)
#### Post date: [June 17, 2011, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trademarks-in-song-lyrics/585861/9 "2011-06-17T18:46:55Z")
Practically every [Wesley Willis](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wesley_Willis) song ended with Wesley repeating the slogan of one company or another.
In his case, I doubt the companies in question knew or cared.
[Example](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFjuPbCShBw).
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### Author:  [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)
#### Post date: [June 17, 2011, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trademarks-in-song-lyrics/585861/10 "2011-06-17T19:03:40Z")
Though the brand name isn’t mentioned, the Door’s “Touch Me” includes the Ajax Laundry Detergent jingle.
George Thorogood’s “I Drink Alone” mentions Jack Daniels, Johnny Walker, and Old Grand Dad liquor brands and refers to “Jimmy Beam.”
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### Author:  [@cjepson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cjepson)
#### Post date: [June 17, 2011, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trademarks-in-song-lyrics/585861/11 "2011-06-17T19:10:43Z")
There are about eight songs about [Hadacol.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hadacol)
The Ramones did a song called “Carbona Not Glue”.
Jerry Jeff Walker’s song 'That Old Beat Up Guitar" is about a Roy Smeck Stage DeLuxe.
The Animals had a song called “A Girl Named Sandoz”.
Lou Reed’s “Walk on the Wild Side” mentions Valium.
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### Author:  [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)
#### Post date: [June 17, 2011, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trademarks-in-song-lyrics/585861/12 "2011-06-17T19:22:09Z")
> [@Leaffan](#):
>
> I’ve heard that Aqua Lung America originally started proceedings against Jethro Tull for trademark infringement, but decided that the publicity might not be that bad after all.
It also doesn’t sound like a very good case for a trademark infringement claim.
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### Author:  [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)
#### Post date: [June 17, 2011, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trademarks-in-song-lyrics/585861/13 "2011-06-17T19:54:27Z")
Frank Zappa, _Camarillo Brillo_: “Is that a Mexican poncho? Or a Sears poncho?”
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### Author:  [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)
#### Post date: [June 17, 2011, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trademarks-in-song-lyrics/585861/14 "2011-06-17T19:56:46Z")
> [@Acsenray](#):
>
> It also doesn’t sound like a very good case for a trademark infringement claim.
Well, IANAL and infringement maybe isn’t the correct terminology. You get the point though.
Asked to no one in particular:
So, under what conditions would it be an infringement?
Is the BBC still anal about product placements?
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### Author:  [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)
#### Post date: [June 17, 2011, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trademarks-in-song-lyrics/585861/15 "2011-06-17T20:06:30Z")
Blondie’s “Eat to the Beat” and the Rolling Stones’ “Downtown Suzie” both mention Alka Seltzer.
Leonard Cohen’s “Is This What You Wanted” mentions both K-Y Jelly and Vaseline. Oh, and Mr. Clean.
The Mothers of Invention’s “Absolutely Free” mentions Jell-O.
Simon & Garfunkel’s “Punky’s Dilemma” mentions Kellogg’s Corn Flakes. Well, _a_ Kellogg’s Corn Flake, anyway!
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### Author:  [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)
#### Post date: [June 17, 2011, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trademarks-in-song-lyrics/585861/16 "2011-06-17T20:08:39Z")
> [@Leaffan](#):
>
> Well, IANAL and infringement maybe isn’t the correct terminology. You get the point though.
Not really. You suggested the reason they didn’t sue is that they thought it was good publicity. I’m saying that if they were considering suing then a very probable reason why they didn’t is because they knew they would lose.
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### Author:  [@cjepson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cjepson)
#### Post date: [June 17, 2011, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trademarks-in-song-lyrics/585861/17 "2011-06-17T20:18:31Z")
> [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](#):
>
> Frank Zappa, _Camarillo Brillo_: “Is that a Mexican poncho? Or a Sears poncho?”
Not to mention Brillo…
I thought of another one: Warren Zevon’s _Carmelita_. “I pawned my Smith Corona and I went to meet my man/He hangs out on Alvarado Street by the Pioneer Chicken stand.”
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### Author:  [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)
#### Post date: [June 17, 2011, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trademarks-in-song-lyrics/585861/18 "2011-06-17T20:23:06Z")
> [@Acsenray](#):
>
> Not really. You suggested the reason they didn’t sue is that they thought it was good publicity. I’m saying that if they were considering suing then a very probable reason why they didn’t is because they knew they would lose.
No, I said they thought that “the publicity might not be that bad.” And then I said “I really can’t speak to the veracity of that statement though.”
Stop being all pedantic over nothing.
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### Author:  [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)
#### Post date: [June 17, 2011, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trademarks-in-song-lyrics/585861/19 "2011-06-17T20:34:10Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#):
>
> George Thorogood’s “I Drink Alone” mentions Jack Daniels, Johnny Walker, and Old Grand Dad liquor brands and refers to “Jimmy Beam.”
Yeah, there are a lot about liquor. “Jose Cuervo, you are a friend of mine…”
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### Author:  [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)
#### Post date: [June 18, 2011, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trademarks-in-song-lyrics/585861/20 "2011-06-18T17:09:26Z")
The Clash’s “Inoculated City” included audio from a commercial for the toilet cleaner 2,000 Flushes; the manufacturer sued and got the passage removed from the record.
The Clash also mention Coca-Cola and the slogan “Coke adds life” in “Koka Kola.” Somehow they got away with this one, despite explicitly linking the soft drink to cocaine!
Jethro Tull’s “Up to Me” mentions the Wimpy Bar hamburger chain.
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